TNs: Wines from the past week including a sake discovery

WINE TALK
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Catching up on notes from the past week

WINE JOURNEY TASTING WITH COLLEAGUES - (2/7/2026)

Second session of wine tasting with colleagues where I invited a merchant to showcase some wines and share some knowledge.

  • NV Georges Remy Champagne Premier Cru Les Quatre Terroirs - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
    2021 base (76%), 2020 (23%) and 1% from 2018 and 2019. 95% Pinot Noir, 5% Chardonnay. Disgorged August 2024, zero dosage. Dark golden in colour. Rich yet precise and welcoming, with the zero dosage never feeling austere. Hugely impressive for an entry-level cuvée with a lovely texture from the well-judged oak use. Always consistently delivers. (92 pts.)
  • NV Girard-Bonnet Champagne Grand Cru Ă€ mi-chemin - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
    100% Chardonnay, 2022 base. Disgorged 6 Mar 2025, 1.5g/l dosage. I do think this producer has improved in recent years but this cuvée still doesn’t quite do it for me. Similar impressions to before - rather austere with a touch of bitterness on the finish. Rounded out slightly with air and became more approachable so perhaps needs more time. (89 pts.)
  • 2023 ValĂ©ria Naudin Gevrey-Chambertin Regnard - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
    Very lifted, expressive nose with a touch of VA that added intrigue. Light, fresh and energetic on the palate especially for a warmer vintage. Very pretty and perfumed so an atypical Gevrey, enjoyed this more than the more rustic 2021 that I had previously. (92 pts.)
  • 2021 La Vigne des Pères (Aymeric Paillard) Saint-Joseph Petit Pere - France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, Saint-Joseph
    In contrast to the Naudin alongside which was elegant for a warm year, this showed a serious density and weight with some sweetness for a cooler vintage. Nevertheless still retained classic northern RhĂ´ne character with the savoury bacon and white pepper notes. Son of Bruno Paillard from Champagne. (90 pts.)

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SOME SAKES AT AN IZAKAYA - (4/7/2026)

A friend recommended an izakaya with a serious collection of sakes so gathered a few friends to taste some bottles over dinner.

  • 2024 Aramasa No.6 S-Type - Japan, TĹŤhoku, Akita
    55% Koji rice polishing ratio. A little coarser in texture than expected, with a touch of bitterness on the finish that slightly disrupted the balance. Better in the smaller tin ochoko that Kenneth brought, which concentrated the aromatics and kept it at a cooler temperature. Good but not as harmonious as the best Aramasa bottlings. (92 pts.)
  • 2020 Aramasa No.6 F-Type - Japan, TĹŤhoku, Akita
    Bottled May 2021. Surprisingly fresher and more vibrant than the 2024 S-Type despite its age. Some lactic character which gave freshness without being distracting, good balance of umami and sweetness. More vinous in style so this was better in the champagne wine glass. (93 pts.)
  • 2025 Ubusuna Kabashiko Rokunojyo - Japan, TĹŤhoku, Akita
    Clear in colour, some spritz on the initial pour. More classically sake-like in profile with a clean rice character and elegance compared to the more overtly complex Aramasa. Good but no real x-factor here. (91 pts.)
  • 2025 Aramasa Tanaka Rokujugo Seven Lucky Gods of Sake - Japan, TĹŤhoku, Akita
    Produced on 7 December 2025. Collaboration between Shiraito Brewery and Aramasa. Wow this was what we came for - lifted, crystalline and incredibly fresh. So ethereal but with a serious structure and remarkable precision. Only sake of the line-up that delivered the previous transcendental Aramasa experiences. (94 pts.)

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We often say Aramasa is the Falkenstein of sake.

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Go on please!

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Well made, occasionally very good, but mostly not very interesting, compelling or exciting, but somehow a bunch of people caught a hype bug and they’ve become darlings.

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Ha! My first thought was the you were referencing the style notes in the TN: “lifted, crystalline, fresh, ethereal…”

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Could have been. I don’t think those descriptors are inaccurate. Of course, when used to describe sake, for me they usually equal pretty boring.

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@Sarah_Kirschbaum Don’t know much about sake but would be interested to try some producers (that actually export) that you like!

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Denshu is very good. Though I think this producer is a little tricky to source.

Nabeshima is also very solid, and I think easier to track down. They are very consistent. The Aiyama is very good and reasonably priced.

Continuing the theme with obtainable, non-cult sake, I have liked Abe quite a bit. I have heard good things about Senkin as well.

Veering back to unicorn-ish territory, Jikon, though I’m guessing you already know about them based on what you had here.

Personally, I don’t think Aramasa is over-rated, though I can understand why someone can find the style…facile. I appreciate the producer’s commitment to tastiness, though.

I’m also guessing I am more of a fan of Ubusuna than you, so ymmv.

If we want to talk about over-rated producers, I haven’t been super-impressed by Juyondai, but I have had limited experience.

I have not tried the high-end Niizawa, but if you want to ball…

I also agree with your take on Bordelet Granit. Wonderful stuff. I need more poire in my life.

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Nice list there, very much agree on Jikon. And I don’t think much of Juyondai.

I am obviously biased, but I think Kikuhime is great, and I am far from the only one - @Geoff_F can attest.

I also like Shichi Hon Yari from Shiga quite a bit.

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Can confirm, and can also attest to Kikuhime generally being excellent.

Would also agree re: Aramasa. It can be a little simple, especially the colors series, but it’s a crowd pleaser (Viridian is a delicious ginger ale sprite thing). Silly at secondary. I had a Kuramoto R1 last week that was reminiscent of Aramasa colors style but more interesting. Worth a try if you see it.

Jikon can be sublime. Haven’t had enough Juyondai yet but trying some more this coming weekend.

Ubusuna is good but not sure it’s hype worthy - it does come from an unexpected spot.

Abe nama silver is really fun, but not one I’d get over and over as it’s lightly effervescent.

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Great recs and some of them are available at the same izakaya based on what I saw the other day, will return to try these!

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Please let us know what you think about them!

It’s nice having a little sake oasis in this forum.